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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24324088">Drawing Colors</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/neapeaikea/pseuds/neapeaikea'>neapeaikea</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Animal Kingdom (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Blow Jobs, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:20:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,999</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24324088</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/neapeaikea/pseuds/neapeaikea</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Adrian meets Deran during his first year of college. He's quite unprepared for everything that follows, and doesn't even know if he wants to be.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Deran Cody/Adrian Dolan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Drawing Colors</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Every pairing deserves a college AU and this is my offering for Deran/Adrian. It incorporates some canon, and tosses other canon out the window. Obv this is a different first meeting. I don't think Deran would ever attend college, and just getting him to San Diego was tricky enough but some AU magic made it possible. As for UCSD, I can but apologise for my depiction of the college, and college life. I did do my research but decided I wanted Deran to paint as a nod to the actor, so the fact that UCSD does not offer that type of arts classes made me go "creative freedom!". The same goes for all the surfing, yeesh. Perhaps not my sharpest work, but I wanted to post something for around the time that season 5 would've premiered, so I hope it can please some of you! Feedback is lovingly drooled on!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian likes college. Not as much as he likes surfing and waffles, but he’s never liked anything as much as he likes surfing and waffles. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Surfing has been a huge part of his life from the moment he first stood on his own two feet, his dad saw to that. Adrian doesn’t remember a time when he wasn’t as comfortable in the water as on land. As a kid it was just fun, even if his dad would correct his posture or turns every once in a while. He doesn’t remember when his dad actually started coaching him but at thirteen he’d already spent a few years with early mornings and half-decent grades to show for his attention at school. His dad had never cared about the grades, only about the waves.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>But now Adrian’s at college and he hasn’t surfed for real in months. Moving from junior to senior and from national to international competitions, he was never quite good enough to make it past qualifications. He realized sooner than his dad did that he’d never get the career they’d imagined together, that the promise and talent Adrian had as a teen, would never evolve to something more. The last year Adrian spent on the tour had been to please his father, to make up for coming out as gay. But failure after failure just made his dad angrier with him, less lenient, and at some point Adrian decided to cut his losses and start making his own life, rather than the one his dad wanted for him. It means he’s a couple of years older than most of his classmates, but Adrian has to admit it hardly shows when it comes to his maturity. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Being a business major feels like a cliché, unimaginative somehow. But Adrian had to pick something, and out of all the programs offered by UC San Diego it was the one he had the grades for, could pay for and which would actually be useful to him. He’d worked practically fulltime in two different surf shops during his teens and he could see himself being a small business owner in the future. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian’s surprisingly good at being a college student. He excels at the partying and last-minute cramming, though his roommate Chad thinks he’s weird and annoying for waking up early and preferring morning classes to afternoon ones. A remnant from all those mornings getting up for the morning waves. He doesn’t go to the beach much now though, mostly heads out on the weekends if he can fit it into his schedule. The pull of the ocean hasn’t been as forceful since his dad starting bitching about Adrian’s choices.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Something he’s had to fit into his schedule since the start of the school year is a humanities class since it’s compulsory for first year students. Adrian’s choice ended up being a pencil drawing class in the art department. Adrian likes it, even if he sucks at it. A few weeks in he’d already tried drawing boats and flowers and flushed in embarrassment when Professor Graves gave him pointers and tried to talk him through his emotions as he drew his self-portrait. Graves says art can’t suck, but Adrian’s pretty sure it can and his attempts at it is the proof. Graves told him at the end of fall classes that if he still thought he sucked so bad, maybe he should attend a spring class too, so that he could improve. Adrian thinks that was her way of letting him know it was okay to like drawing even if you’re shit at it. He’d signed up for the continuation course and Professor Graves had welcomed him back with a knowing smile. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Despite his questionable talent, Adrian likes the art class because he doesn’t have to learn numbers and facts, though Graves has warned them some historical facts like different art periods will pop up this semester. One thing he really likes is the fact that one of the college’s art studios is open for all to use throughout the day, so he can just show up whenever and sit down at a drawing table or easel and do whatever he feels like, be it draw, doodle, hide, sleep, or even study. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian walks into the art studio on a Wednesday in February, at midmorning after his economics seminar. He’s not sure what he wants to do but he’s got an hour to kill before he meets Chad at the library. He settles down at a drawing table, pulls out his sketch pad and pencils and stares into space for a while. Movement at the back of the art studio catches his eyes and he looks over. There’s a guy back there, with blond hair past his shoulders, tattoos peeking out from a ratty t-shirt and an angry look on his face. Adrian can’t help it, he lets his eyes linger. The guy’s hot, and Adrian likes hot guys. He’s seen a lot of them and he’s usually better at hiding the fact that he’s watching with interest. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“What the fuck are you staring at?” the guy says, confrontation clear in his voice even though he barely glances at Adrian. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Oh sorry.” Adrian apologizes, embarrassed to be caught out. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I’m allowed in here, ask Graves yourself.” The guy continues. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian wasn’t even close to questioning that, “No, I – of course. That’s not, I didn’t see you at first, I was just surprised that’s all.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>The guy snorts, finally gives Adrian his full attention even if it’s just to glare at him for three seconds. Then he turns back to the paper he has set up on an easel, grabbing a thin paintbrush. He doesn’t even grace Adrian with a parting shot. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Many hot guys are jerks, and this one isn’t any different. Adrian shakes the incident off and picks up a pencil. He draws long, steady lines, crisscrossing each other all over the page. He has no clue what it’s meant to be, but he likes the pressure he can put on the pencil. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>They work in silence, no one else showing up to use the studio. When Adrian asks if it’s cool if he opens a window, the guy shrugs. Adrian spots a girl braiding someone’s hair outside as he’s by the window and sits down to try drawing hair. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Braids gets thinner near the end.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian jerks, pencil drawing a crooked line on the page, “Fuck, dude.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Laughing, the guy says, “When you braid hair, the braids are thick at the top, but thin when there’s less hair to pull into it at the bottom.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Refusing to be distracted by the really nice smile on the guy’s pleased face, which is even more attractive than his angry face, Adrian looks back down at his drawing. He tries to remember every braid he’s ever seen. “Huh. I guess you’re right. Speaking from personal experience?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Yup.” </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian glances back up, “I’m Adrian.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Deran.” Deran nods at him, eyes flicking over Adrian’s chest. “Listen, you wouldn’t happen to have an Android charger on you?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Maybe.” Adrian smirks.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran waits for a moment, before huffing, “And…?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian nods over at where Deran’s been working. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Oh come on, man.” Deran says, clearly getting that Adrian wants a peek at his work. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You looked at my braids.” Adrian points out. “Critiqued them, even.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You got them wrong.” Deran replies. He glances at the clock on the wall, wipes a hand over his scruffy cheek, then looks at Adrian again, “Sure.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian almost wants to apologize and say he was joking, but he does want to see what Deran’s been drawing and he hasn’t completely forgotten how hot Deran is. So Adrian hurries out of his seat and follows Deran across the room, grabbing his charger from his backpack. When they get to where Deran’s been working, Deran holds out his hand and Adrian hands him the charger. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You’re welcome.” Adrian says, concentrating instead on the watercolor painting on the easel. It’s not big, but it’s intense. There are a few different shades of blue, swirling and fuming around each other. Considering his feelings, like Graves has told him to, he thinks the painting is angry and sad. “It reminds me of waves.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Good, ‘cos that’s what it is.” Deran says from near the wall, where he’s plugging his phone into a socket to charge. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Yeah?” Adrian grins at Deran, “You’re good, then. I like your use of color.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran snorts again, “That’s ‘cos you use a pencil, it’s all black or grey.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Not always.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“How often do you use colored pencils?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Fuck off.” Adrian mutters, secretly pleased to get so much attention from Deran. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran doesn’t fuck off, instead he comes closer and Adrian takes his in body with yet another not-so-subtle glance. He’s sure Deran’s figured it out by now, and though Adrian isn’t sure where he has Deran, he gets the distinct feeling Deran would let him know in no uncertain terms if the attention was unwanted. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I don’t know if it’s done or not. I don’t know what to add to it, but it doesn’t feel complete.” Deran says, a little less confident than he’s been so far. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I like it. Don’t add to it ‘til you know what you want to add.” Adrian says, resting back against a table in an obvious move to show off his body, not that he has much to show. He was pretty popular with the other gay guys on the surfing scene, but that could’ve been supply rather than demand. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran glances towards the door near the front of the room, before fixing Adrian with a loaded look. “I bet you want me to blow you right here.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian’s inner monologue is something close to <i>what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck</i>. “Uhm…”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I don’t swallow, but if you’re up for it…” Deran comes closer. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian would love to be more mature than his twenty years of age. “Fuck yeah.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran grabs at him, pushing him off the table and past a couple of easels before they’re disappearing into a storage room that Adrian had no idea was even there. It’s tiny and full of broken pencils, half-finished cardboard structures and a musty smell. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Before Adrian knows what’s going on, Deran’s on his knees, reaching for Adrian’s button fly. Adrian has to slam a hand onto the wall to keep standing, the other landing on Deran’s shoulder. Deran starts nosing and licking at Adrian’s dick, which instantly starts to harden. Deran’s enthusiastic, teasing Adrian to full hardness with mouth and hands and quickly setting a rhythm. He doesn’t make a lot of noise but when he has to pull off to breathe, the slick pop is nearly pornographic. He keeps looking up at Adrian, which really gets Adrian going, trying to keep eye contact, but mostly enjoying the sight of his dick moving in and out of Deran’s red mouth. He feels like Deran’s the one in charge, but he gives his hips a few thrusts and Deran takes it without complaining. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>He doesn’t let Adrian get too carried away, and they end up in a truce where Adrian has his fingers buried in Deran’s hair while Deran bobs his head up and down his shaft as quickly as he can. Nothing like this has ever happened to Adrian before and probably never will again. It’s super-hot and Adrian won’t last long. He tries to be smoother about things, but he just really wants Deran to keep sucking him until he comes. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran doesn’t have to stay on his knees for long. Adrian bites out a warning seconds before coming, finishing in Deran’s hand. When Adrian’s done, Deran pulls away, leaning against the wall. He looks down at the floor, rather than Adrian. Adrian spies the bulge in his shorts.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Can I blow you?” Adrian asks.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran gathers his brashness at that, smirks over at Adrian, “Was just waiting for you to return the favor.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian could point out that Deran was looking very uncertain and a little bit lost just then, but he’d rather suck dick. He gets down on the floor, pulling down Deran’s briefs after Deran unties his denim shorts and shoves them down his thighs. It’s more than Adrian did with his khakis and he gives himself more to look at and touch by pushing Deran’s t-shirt up towards his armpits. He knows some guys don’t like the fact that he wants to explore more than just their dick when blowing them, but Deran seems to have no problem, reacting with little throaty moans when Adrian sucks at his navel or runs a hand over his nipples. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>But Adrian’s aware of their surroundings and the hard floor, and he’s soon sucking Deran down in earnest, long and slow at first but finding a faster tempo when Deran fists his short hair. Adrian pushes at Deran’s thighs, making him lose some height in his stance but gaining power in his thrusts, facefucking Adrian like a champ until his jaw feels achy and tired. He pulls off and jerks Deran instead, catching his breath. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I don’t swallow neither.” Adrian says. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran nods, biting his lip hard. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You’re really fucking hot.” Adrian smiles, because Deran’s face is all red, and his scorching blue eyes are almost desperate. “I’m gonna make you come so fucking hard.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Fucking do it.” Deran bites out. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian puts his mouth back on Deran’s straining dick, and does what he can with tongue and hands to bring Deran off. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Afterwards they help each other out making sure clothes are on properly and stains are gone from their hands and faces. It’s kind of nice, and also kind of ridiculous. Adrian wonders how this ever happens to anyone, let alone him. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran’s the one to open the door and check the room outside. “Clear.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian takes that to mean there’s no one there, so he follows Deran out without a care in the world. He goes back to his own spot near the windows, noticing the time and that he should pack up to go meet Chad. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Listen, uhm,” Adrian turns and is surprised to see Deran’s angry face back in place and glaring at him from just a few feet away.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Don’t ever fucking talk to me again.” Deran practically seethes, eyes crazy, and when Adrian doesn’t reply, Deran shoves at him, “Ever.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian stares after Deran as he disappears from the studio, a huge portfolio for his painting making his escape less smooth than Deran probably wants it to be. Once he’s gone, Adrian slumps down on the nearest chair. “Fucking closet case.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>**</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>He doesn’t tell Chad about his random hookup, partly because he’s never really been one to share much about his sex life, but also because he doesn’t think Chad will believe him. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian had never seen Deran before and in the days following their tryst, he doesn’t see him again. Whenever he’s near the art department he takes a few extra looks around the area but none of the blonds he sees is Deran. It’s weird spending time in the art studio again, and he loses himself in memories rather than drawing. It’s embarrassing as hell when his dick starts to take an active interest in those memories. Adrian crosses his legs and thinks of falling off his surfboard and being pummeled by freezing waves. It works well enough to get him home without any incidents. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>It takes almost two weeks before he spots Deran again, by which point he’s almost convinced himself he’d dreamed the whole scenario up. He’s running late to his drawing class and almost misses Deran, but a loud laugh attracts his attention. Deran is just a few feet away, standing on top of a wooden table near the entrance to the building, laughing and half-shouting at a girl laughing along from the bench beside him. Deran’s wearing an awful teal-colored hoodie that’s much too large for him and jeans that end awkwardly at his ankles. Adrian still thinks he’s hot despite his fashion choices, with his hair pushed back behind his ears, jaw cleanshaven and eyes glittering with mirth. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian must do something, because suddenly Deran’s looking at him. His face doesn’t give much away, but his eyes grow cold and angry. He doesn’t speak and from the looks of it, he’s just waiting for Adrian to open his mouth so Deran can slam it shut with a punch. But Adrian’s late for his class and he cares a whole lot more about keeping his teacher happy than some random dude he swapped blowjobs with, so he just turns his head and hurries inside the building. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>**</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>That weekend he has time to head to the beach for some real surfing and finds himself looking forward to it. He doesn’t bother inviting Chad or any of the other people he’s met in college that he knows surfs, because he wants some alone time with the water. Most of the time he enjoys being out with a buddy or two, but today is all about him, the board and the ocean. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>He gets there later than he’d like, but there are no throngs of people and he won’t have to sit in the lineup for long before it’s his turn to catch a wave. He’s got his wetsuit on in a flash and is soon paddling to get further out, a smile on his face the whole time. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian loses track of time, like he often does without his father there to clock and yell at him. He surfs just for the fun of it, the adrenaline and the fleeting rush of power. The waves are pretty decent and he has the opportunity to practice a number of flips and turns, laughing when he ends up in a playful competition with a female surfer he’s seen around a few times. It’s all the good things he loves about surfing. They rest for a couple of minutes, sitting on their boards when the water lulls and talking about junior competitions and college. Her name is Luisa and she’s in a sorority, and she instantly invites him to a party.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Making a new friend is always nice, and when he finally drags himself out of the water, he’s pretty darned pleased with his day so far. He’s lost in his head as he wanders over the sand towards the public showers and has to dodge a guy at the last second.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Shit, sorry.” Adrian gets out, half-freezing because he was unprepared for anyone in his path, but also because it’s Deran. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“No worries. You surf?” Deran says. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Yeah.” Adrian looks around furtively. There’s no one near them, which must be why Deran’s fine with addressing him in public. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Looked pretty hot out there.” Deran comments, eyes floating down Adrian’s body. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian can’t help it, but he looks down Deran’s body too. It’s not like Deran can blame him, what with him being topless and only wearing a pair of blue boardshorts. “I take it you surf too?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran nods towards the parking lot, “I got two boards in the car, wanted to see what the waves were like to know which one to grab. Got distracted watching something else.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Two boards, huh? You’re either a serious surfer or a spoiled brat.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I’m definitely not spoiled.” Deran laughs humorlessly. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“But you are a brat.” Adrian raises an eyebrow in challenge. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran licks his lips and glances down at Adrian’s groin again. Adrian knows that look, has seen it on Deran before. It feels like a terrible idea, but he’s had a good day so far and sex would be great addition to it. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You gonna offer to blow me again?” Adrian says with a little more confidence than he feels. He gets the sense Deran is into confidence. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran smirks, “I was thinking about it but hadn’t decided yet. You wanna?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Your car?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Toilets are right there.” Deran points towards the restrooms. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian knows it’s next level gross in the public toilets, but his dick is already filling at the idea of Deran’s mouth on him again. “Yeah.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>**</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Once again they luck out, and no one walks in to use the restroom while they use a booth to take turns blowing each other. Deran sits on the toilet while Adrian facefucks him, then they switch places and Deran feeds him his dick in long, hard thrusts. It’s good, dirty and illicit. It’s better than any other post-surf sex Adrian’s had in a toilet, though it’s only happened once before so it’s no real feat. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran rests back against the booth door when they’re done, catching his breath. His dick is slack, on display for Adrian to get a real good look at. It’s nice, curved and slightly pink. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You gonna threaten and ignore me again?” Adrian says, pulling his wetsuit up past his butt. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Pretty much, yeah.” Deran says in a huffing breath. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You don’t have to, you know. I don’t really talk to people about sex anyway, not like, specifics about dudes I’ve been with.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran pauses in his own redressing. There’s almost a snarl to his voice as he asks, “Been with a lot of dudes?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian rolls his eyes, “None of your business. We don’t have to be friends outside of fucking. There’s no need to be an asshole. You’re in the closet, that’s fine if it’s just sex.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran’s silent as he tugs on his hair, and wipes invisible dirt from his chest. When he speaks it’s just a low murmur, “Whatever dude, I’m out.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian rolls his eyes, not the least bit surprised that Deran did a runner again.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>**</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>The next time Adrian’s waiting for his art class to start he spots Deran coming out of Professor Graves’ office. Adrian quickly looks away, inspecting his backpack. When he looks up again Deran’s walking past him. At the last second, Deran glances at him and with a tiny quirk to his lips, winks. Adrian grins to himself.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>**</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian would never call what they’re doing dating. At best, they hook up. Now that he knows Deran uses the same beach as he does, Adrian makes more of an effort to find time to surf, and more often than not, Deran’s there. Sometimes they just surf and mess around in the water, Deran introducing Adrian to some of the beach rats he knows, Luisa surprisingly being one of them. From the way the others act around Deran it seems like he’s been coming to this beach for a lot longer than just his college years. Sometimes the two of them share the odd beer afterwards on the beach, or light up a joint. They don’t really talk much. Adrian finds that he likes it, simply sitting around with someone quietly.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>But most of the time they end up in the restrooms or in Adrian’s car, swapping blowjobs and handies. They never go further than that, it’s clear Deran is not into that idea no matter how much he likes groping Adrian’s ass as he sucks him down. Adrian met his share of closet cases on the surfing circuit so he’s not going to start any conversation about sexual favors that he knows is going to end in anger and maybe even punches. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>True to his word, Adrian doesn’t mention Deran to anyone, not even the part where he’s maybe found a crew to surf with. He keeps studying hard to keep up with classes, spends evenings with dry eyes as he reads textbooks about organizational theory and group behavior, writes a shit essay in his business management class and draws ocean waves and swimming mermen in his drawing class. He takes care to not have them look like Deran, because he’s seen Deran with Professor Graves on a couple of occasions by now and doesn’t want her to recognize Deran in his drawings. Not that Adrian is good enough to draw something that would actually resemble an real person.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Being on a tight budget, he heads home to his parents for spring break. It becomes unbearable quickly without his older sister Jess there to run interference with his dad. His father has not forgiven him yet for giving up his surfing career, nor for being gay, that’s made abundantly clear. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian goes back to campus after just a few days and ends up at the beach for the rest of the break. Deran’s not there until the last day, and when Adrian sees him, he realizes he missed him more than he should. Maybe it’s time to put an end to their fucking around. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You back from wherever?” Deran asks, lighting a cigarette as he sits down next to Adrian in the sand.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Home. Yeah. My dad’s an asshole. He hates that I’m gay and hates that I gave up surfing.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran frowns, “Gave up, what do you mean, you’re out here all the time.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian clears his throat, “I, uh, used to surf professionally. Tried to, anyway. Didn’t really make it past qualifications anywhere on the senior circuit. Was only good enough for juniors, I guess.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“No shit, you toured?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Yeah, mostly around the States, South America, Japan once.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran looks impressed, his eyes lighting up with an elusive happy glint, “Shit man, no wonder you’ve got some moves out there. You’re almost as good as me.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian laughs, “Thanks, dude. Maybe you should be the one touring.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I did some junior shit too. Won some trophies.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Yeah? What happened?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran looks out over the water, taking a long drag on his cigarette. He sighs finally, “My mom.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Fucking parents.” Adrian mutters.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Yeah, man. Fuck ‘em.” Deran agrees.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>** </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian tries to find Deran in the online university directory but there’s no one with that first name registered and he has no idea what Deran’s last name is. Hell, he’s not even sure he’s spelling the first name correctly.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Despite the fact that they are not dating, and that they’ve so far stayed pretty far away from too much personal information, Adrian decides college is an innocent enough topic one Sunday as the sun is out and they’re waiting for some worthwhile waves to come in. But he’s not stupid enough to just come out with it. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I gotta bail pretty soon, got a group project thing in my marketing class, you know how it is.” Adrian starts.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Sure.” Deran shrugs, eyes intent on the horizon. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“What classes are you in anyway, I only ever see you in the art studio.” </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Who said I’m in any class?” Deran says, and then stops short, his back going rigid. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Uh, what?” Adrian asks in confusion. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You leaving?” Deran turns towards him but doesn’t really look at him, “I’ll stay out for a while longer. See you.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian looks after him, not sure what just happened. Knowing he’s been blown off, he heads in for the beach, deciding to not think about Deran for the rest of the day. Since they’re apparently four idiots in his group assignment, he does pretty well with forgetting beach blond hair and tattooed skin. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>**</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>It gets even easier after that to not think about Deran, since the sex dries up. They still see each other once or twice a week, but surfing becomes just surfing, with no happy endings in Adrian’s stuffy car. Adrian’s not sure what’s changed but with April starting, things get serious in most of his classes and he’s struggling to keep up, and whether or not he’s got a fuckbuddy becomes less important. He hates his classmates that say college isn’t that much different from high school, he doesn’t remember ever having to sit in a library for six fucking hours just to read so that he can understand what the hell his lecturers are talking about. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Chad has to start telling him to take study breaks, even gets on his ass about hitting the beach more since those days are apparently when Adrian’s the least annoying as a roommate. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You could definitely get laid down there too, showing that fine body off with water dripping off it, the boys should be so lucky.” Chad winks lasciviously.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I thought you didn’t think of me that way. College finally making you bi-curious?” Adrian snarks back. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Unless you grow tits you’re shit out of luck.” Chad laughs, “But I’m sure there’s gay guys with low standards hanging out at the beach.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Fuck you.” Adrian throws a sock at Chad and the war of dirty laundry is on.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Despite Chad’s general idiocy, he’s right that the beach is a good break for Adrian’s brain. With a board under his feet he doesn’t have to think too hard, it’s all muscle memory. Adrian grins just as much when he wipes out as when he gets a perfect roll in. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran’s a good break too, even if there’s nothing sexual between them any longer. Deran never brings up college or studying which is a nice respite from all the people on campus already worrying about finals. Adrian likes Deran, when Deran’s in a good mood. He finds that when they do talk, they can talk pretty easily about surfing, movies, dumb shit they got up to in their teens. But when Deran’s in a foul mood, he’s horrible. He barely acknowledges Adrian, or anyone else for that matter, and Adrian reckons maybe it’s good that they’ve stopped fucking around so he doesn’t have to deal with that drama. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>**</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“What are you doing here?” Deran asks one morning, coming up behind Adrian and nearly giving him a heart-attack. “Don’t you have morning class with Graves?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Nah, she’s divided us into two groups, I’m in the late one, we don’t start ‘til eleven.” Adrian explains. “How’d you know?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran shrugs, “Just ‘cos I don’t go to college, doesn’t mean I don’t know shit.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian had meant to throw his board into the water and find a current, but he stays firmly on land, “What does that mean, you said that last time too, you don’t go to college? I see you there all the time.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran fidgets, pushing his hair back behind his ear with the hand not holding his surfboard. He’s looking extra delectable in just short, black surf shorts. Adrian thinks there’s more hair trailing down into Deran’s shorts than he remembers seeing before. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I don’t… I’m not actually in college. I don’t have the grades, and definitely don’t have the money. Graves, she just… Well, her husband owes me, so she lets me hang out in the art studio. Says I gotta have somewhere to hone my talent.” Deran says, hushed and hurriedly, staring down into the sand.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Oh.” Adrian doesn’t know how to react. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“So no, I’m not like you college boys.” Deran says, a snarl suddenly in voice. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian holds up his free hand in surrender, but feels stupid so he slams his board down into the sand and holds up both hands instead, “I don’t care if you’re in college or not.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran’s jaw keeps working, like he wants to say something angry and mean as soon as Adrian gives him reason to. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I mean, I’d like to know what you get up to during the day ‘cos we’re friends,” Adrian almost stumbles over the last word but presses on, “but if you’re working at a diner, using the college art studio or just fucking around all day, that doesn’t matter to me.” </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran puts his board down too. His hair falls forward with the movement and hides his face. He looks so young. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“How old are you?” Adrian asks. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Nineteen.” Deran looks back up, defiant, “I’ll be twenty in November.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian nods. “Cool. I’ll be twenty-one in July.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran’s jaw starts working again. “You wanna surf or you wanna swap bj’s?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Second one sounds good.” Adrian admits, and soon they’re in the back of Adrian’s car, shorts around their ankles and surfboards propped against the car windows to hide them from view. Deran’s mouth is hot around his dick, his tongue a teasing wetness caressing veins as he laps up and down Adrian’s cock. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian makes up for the weeks they haven’t fucked around by shimmying into Deran’s lap. He rocks his ass over Deran’s cock, feeling it rub against his perineum and balls. He considers offering himself up, but something about Deran’s posture tells him maybe that’s still too much for Deran. Instead he leans in, licking at Deran’s neck, whispering into his ear, “Fuck, your dick is so nice. So long and curved, can’t wait to taste it.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran’s hands tighten on Adrian’s waist, but he grits out, “So put your mouth on it.” </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Taking the cue, Adrian awkwardly climbs around in the cramped space, embarrassingly getting his elbow in Deran’s crotch and tumbling to the side when Deran’s foot shoves at his ass. They both swear and laugh, and finally Adrian’s sucking on the dick he’s missed more than he wants to admit. Deran’s louder than he’s been before, and sometimes the hold he has on Adrian’s head is almost a caress. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian ends up not surfing at all that day, but he still considers it a roaring success. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>**</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Somehow Adrian and his classmates get a pass on their group assignment, though their professor looks less than interested in their presentation. Adrian doesn’t care, he won’t be taking any more marketing classes, choosing instead to focus his education on the actual business side of business. The more he’s thought about it during his first year of college, the more the idea of running his own business appeals to him. He’s not sure yet what it’ll be, but he has time to figure it out. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Hey,” Deran says, dropping down next to Adrian and taking his beer from him. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian frowns, looking around the backyard of the sorority house that’s hosting tonight’s shindig. “I thought you didn’t do the college scene.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I don’t.” Deran shrugs, chugging down the rest of the beer. He burps loudly, and Adrian can’t help it, he laughs. Deran grins, “I knew you liked my charm.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Sure.” Adrian laughs, reaching for two more beers from the cooler next to him on the porch. He hands one to Deran who nods at him in thanks. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I’m just here ‘cos Luisa kept banging on about needing hot guys at the party.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Oh yeah, where are they?” Adrian asks, pointedly looking out at the large crowd drinking and dancing in front of them, half of them in a state of undress since it’s four in the afternoon in May and the sun is beating down on them.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran shoves at him but they both chuckle and let their usual silence rest over them for a while. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You know, you never told me what you do all day.” Adrian says when his can is empty.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“That’s right, I didn’t.” Deran says. He holds out for a couple of seconds before adding, “I was trying to get my GED but shit kinda… I do a lot of odd jobs for people in my neighborhood. Cars, windows, garden shit, shit like that. My, uh, landlord, he says I gotta have a plan once I turn twenty. I don’t know.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Landlord?” </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran’s quiet. He magicks a cigarette out of nowhere and sucks it down in a minute flat. Adrian doesn’t expect an answer. He’s learned to read Deran a little by now, and this is the point where Deran usually shuts down.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“He was kind of my foster dad.” Deran says so hurriedly Adrian barely catches it. “I mean, he’s not, like my dad or anything, but he got me away from my family, but there was… Ugh, just, he took me in. I’m emancipated now but I stay in his guest house.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian’s taken aback by the confession, and slightly honored to have Deran opening up to him. Even if they’re just friends from here on out, it means a lot that Deran willingly told him something that personal without Adrian really pushing at all. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“That’s cool.” Adrian says, putting his idiocy on full display. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran laughs, “Yeah.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>They drink beer quietly for a while, laughing at a guy falling over a soccer ball, and helping a girl hide the shoes of her ex. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian’s drunk in that way where he knows he’s drunk and everything is funnier because of it, but he’s not wasted and slobby yet. He’s considering going for the second kind of drunk when Deran once again interrupts his thoughts. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Hey, do you need to study and shit tomorrow?” Deran asks. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I’m actually going with a couple of friends to a laser tag place in the afternoon but other than that I’m free.” </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“That’s so lame.” Deran snorts. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Maybe, but it’ll be fun.” Adrian shrugs. “Why, you hitting the waves?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“They’re showing <i>Reservoir Dogs</i> at the outdoor film thing down the beach tomorrow night.” Deran says. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Yeah? That’s good movie. I’ll get the beer if you pick me up from the laser tag. Bring both your boards and we’ll surf first.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran nods at him, lips crooked up into a little smile. “Cool. Uhm, I gotta head out, but see you tomorrow? Oh, can I have your number?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian wants to kiss Deran stupid from how gorgeous he looks with his hair framing his flushed neck and cheeks. He’s thankfully not drunk enough to try anything, and they exchange numbers in a fumbling dance of fingers and phones. As soon as Deran’s gone, Adrian joins the drunken crowd and hollers straight into some random dude’s face. The dude just hollers back. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>**</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>They’re late for the start of the movie, thanks to Deran insisting he could execute a Gorkin flip and Adrian not giving him a pass on any of his attempts. Deran’s still grumbling about it as they find a spot towards the back of the crowd, using Deran’s towels as blankets to sit on. It’s nice out, the sun still up and the gentle breeze not enough to make anything more than a t-shirt necessary. The people around them are mostly in their twenties or thirties, a combination of couples and groups. Adrian spots several of them eating. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Man, I’m hungry.” </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I saw a food truck if you want something.” Deran says. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian looks at Deran, who’s once again looking all flustered and uncertain. He’s done that a lot in the past hour. It’s oddly endearing. Adrian gives Deran a break and turns to look for the food truck instead. Spying it, he says, “Wouldn’t say no to a burger.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Me neither.” Deran gets up and is off like a shot towards the truck. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian watches him walk away and kind of wishes Deran wasn’t wearing a t-shirt. He shakes his head at himself and grabs one of the beers he’s brought, probably not fooling anyone with the plastic Fanta bottles he’s poured it into. They don’t usually bother with the charade, but there might actually be controls at the event, and Adrian thinks it’s probably best to keep Deran out of trouble. He doesn’t actually know anything, but Deran mentioned a foster dad and not having a high school diploma and Adrian is just making educated assumptions from what little information he has. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>The cop is bleeding out on the floor, which he does for the whole movie as far as Adrian remembers, when Deran returns. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Sorry, they were out of burgers, hope burritos are okay.” Deran sits back down, legs akimbo with his knee resting against Adrian’s. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Sure.” Adrian bites into his food and moans happily, “God, that’s good. I really was hungry.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran glances away from him, “Yeah, me too.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>The movie plays on, and Adrian has half his attention on it, the other half on Deran. Deran keeps shifting around, folding back on his elbows, sitting up with his arms around his knees. He makes a few aborted moves with his left arm, never quite reaching Adrian but ending up near him. It’s both frustrating and adorable. Adrian decides it’s Deran’s show and doesn’t make any move of his own. He wasn’t the one who asked for this date, and he hasn’t been the one deciding whether they’re fuckbuddies or not. This whole thing is in Deran’s court and for the time being, Adrian’s cool with that. He’s pretty sure his patience will reward him handsomely. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>That doesn’t mean he doesn’t wish they were making out like some of the other couples around them, or just holding hands like he can see two guys doing a couple of rows ahead of them. He wonders if Deran’s seen them too and turns his head and catches Deran staring at him. Deran’s hair is lit up by the sun, his skin looking sun-kissed and warm. Deran sways towards him, but instead of kissing him, Deran twists at the last second and grabs another beer. Adrian’s disappointed but tells himself it’s only a matter of time. He’s surprised by how much he wants it, wants Deran. He actually likes him, the frustrating, rude, confusing guy who barely talks and doesn’t want to fuck Adrian, he’s somehow burrowed into Adrian’s heart and now Adrian thinks of his abruptness and emotional unavailability as mere quirks of his personality. He hopes he’s as enigmatic and desirable to Deran.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“It’s not that late,” Deran points out when the movie ends. “You wanna go back to my place, play some <i>Halo</i>?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Sure.” Adrian readily agrees, knowing full well what that is code for. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>They walk back to the parking lot with most of the other moviegoers around them, Adrian wondering if anyone’s looking at them and assuming they’re on a date. It sends an unexpected thrill down his spine and he laughs over nothing. Deran glances at him and laughs too. His nerves are so obvious and Adrian can actually feel the age difference between them. To cover up what he’s feeling, he knocks his shoulder against Deran’s, and they shove each other back and forth until they get to Deran’s green Scout that Adrian has no clue why Deran likes. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran drives them to a nice, quiet neighborhood nearer the university area than the beach. He pulls into a driveway and parks outside of a two-story garage, away from the main house. Deran jumps out, hesitates for a moment, then nods towards the side of the garage, “I live upstairs.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Oh.” Adrian remembers Deran saying something about a guest house. He supposes an apartment above a garage is as good as any other guest house. “Cool.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran leads the way, unlocking a door that hides a staircase. When they get to the top, Adrian lets out a low whistle, “This is a nice setup.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>It’s not big, but it’s an open floor plan that has a proper kitchen, a dining area, a lounge, and behind a couple of bookshelves, Adrian spies a bed. The only door on the upstairs floor is open and leads into a small bathroom. Adrian is actually pretty jealous, seeing as he shares a room a fourth this size with Chad, and they only have the communal toilets in the hallway to use. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I guess.” Deran shrugs. He kicks off his shoes, taking two long strides before slumping down on the loveseat that’s in front of a huge TV. He grabs a controller and starts booting up a game. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian sits down too, but ignores the controller Deran tosses him, instead looking around some more. Deran can be called a lot of things, but tidy is not one of them. There are clothes everywhere, cigarette packs and empty soda cans littered around the dining and lounge areas. One of the cupboards in the kitchen is open and Adrian spots cereal and instant noodles. It’s dark in the room since Deran hasn’t bothered to light any lamps, but Adrian can tell that the walls are some white-beige mix and that the framed paintings of flowers and horses were not put up by Deran. Deran’s probably guilty of the various surf posters and the Sid Vicious picture on the fridge. There are other pictures too, watercolors that Adrian thinks Deran might actually be the painter of but it’s too dark to get a good look at. Adrian sniffs the air.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Your landlord doesn’t let you smoke in here?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran chuckles, “Yeah, I gotta sit with the window open. They don’t really come in here, but when they do there’s always something they complain about.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Pretty sure most nineteen-year-olds would have it messier than this.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“It usually is messier than this.” Deran snorts. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian files that away, assuming that means Deran’s tidied up the place because he was hoping to bring Adrian home with him. “Chad and me can’t keep our room clean for shit.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“When I was really small, I shared a room with my brother Craig. I think the state of our room was what caused our older brother to get OCD. He’d come in and go crazy with a broom.” Deran laughs at the memory.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I have an older sister, she’d never do that for me. She was more likely to sit on me until I agreed to do her chores.” Adrian offers. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran fiddles with his controller, the menu for the game on the television screen. “I still have brothers. I just don’t live with them. My mom, she was fucked up, and did a lot of messed up shit. Like, outside the family, and inside it too.” </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian wants to take Deran’s hand, because he sure looks like he could use it, and because he wants Deran to know that his well-being matters to Adrian. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Pearce, he had her arrested but he didn’t have anything that would stick on her.” Deran swallows. “He talked to me. And then he did have something on her.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Oh.” Adrian doesn’t know who Pearce is, but he guesses it’s a cop. Adrian might not know what Deran told the cop, but he guesses it was something serious, it had to have been because kids don’t give up their parents to the cops for no reason. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I was fifteen.” Deran continues. “Been living here ever since. Saw Craig last year, but our mom found out and forbade him from seeing me again, even though she’s in prison. I fucking hate her.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran tosses the controller away, heads to the kitchen and fills up a glass with water. Adrian knows there is a lot more to the story than Deran’s told him so far, stuff that probably explains why Deran is prone to mood swings and why he’s in the closet. But mostly Adrian knows that he wants to give Deran a hug. He gets up, takes the few steps needed to be standing next to Deran at the kitchen sink. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran’s slumped over the counter, head down with the glass in one hand. Adrian puts a hand on Deran’s shoulder and turns him around. He takes the glass from Deran’s limp fingers and puts it on the counter. Slowly, signaling what’s going on, he puts his arms around Deran’s sides and holds him tight. Deran is tense and awkward in his arms, but Adrian doesn’t stop, just keeps holding on, finding a comfortable position for his head, resting it against Deran’s temple. Adrian’s a little taller but it works and after a moment, Deran relaxes just a tiny bit. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>They’ve not really done this before, touched without it being about sex. Adrian’s never put his arms around Deran just to give comfort. His hands have touched most of Deran’s upper body, but it’s always been about want and lust, and he’s never let his hands stay in place for long. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran isn’t really hugging him back. Adrian pulls away slightly, searching Deran’s face for any clue as to what he’s thinking. Deran’s eyes are glassy, like he’s holding back tears. It makes his eyes more blue than they’ve ever been, even in the darkness of the room. Adrian’s heart bounces both left and right, overcome with emotions. Their breaths are loud in the silence between them, the only other noise the random whirr from the fridge. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Leaning in, Adrian brushes his lips against Deran’s. There’s no resistance, so he kisses him firmer, heart soaring at the touch. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran puts his hands on Adrian’s chest and Adrian thinks that he’ll start kissing him back, but instead the ground is ripped quite literally from under him as Deran pushes him away, hard.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“What are you doing?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian frowns at him, reeling, “What?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran’s eyes are cold, arms crossed protectively over his chest, “What. The Fuck. Are you doing?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Kissing you.” Adrian says, “I thought that was pretty obvious.” </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I don’t kiss dudes.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian feels like he’s been shoved again, and takes a step back from the mental slap. He stares at Deran for a moment before finding words, “Are you serious right now?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“What?” Deran almost looks confused amidst his anger.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You took me on a date. We saw a movie at the beach, you got me food, and you brought me back here. You told me real personal shit.” Adrian can see he’s not really getting through, so he changes tack, “We’ve fucked around a dozen times. Now you’re freaking out I want to kiss you?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I…” Deran meets Adrian’s eyes, though the resolve in them is hesitant at best. “I’m not gay.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Wow.” Adrian knows Deran is in the closet, but he really isn’t in the mood to be understanding and gentle. He’s kind of let his heart go all-in during the past few hours and the rejection stings more than he wants it to. Plus, he’s had quite a few beers and is not thinking that clearly. He needs to get out of here, now. He flaps a hand in Deran’s general direction, backing away from him, “Okay. Wow. You be whatever you think you are, and I’ll be gay somewhere else.” </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Dude, don’t–” Deran says, coming after Adrian and tugging on his arm. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Don’t fucking touch me.” Adrian spits out, pulling his arm out of Deran’s grip. He hurries to the top of the stairs, trying to remember if brought he anything or if he can just leave as is.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Don’t freak out, man.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I’m freaking out?” Adrian laughs manically, and yeah, he’s drunker than he realized. He points at Deran accusatorily, “You’re freaking out!”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“What’s so wrong with not wanting to kiss dudes?” Deran asks, that confused anger back on his face. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I can’t even start with you!” Adrian exclaims. “You don’t have to kiss dudes, but you don’t have to take them on fucking dates and make them think you want to kiss! That’s not fucking cool, Deran!”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran raises his voice too, “It wasn’t a date! Fuck, we’re friends, man, friends hang out.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You’ve been eye-fucking me since the burrito! And don’t think I didn’t notice how you said they were out of burgers but people kept coming back with burgers way later.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran looks to the floor at that. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I’m fucking out of here. You gonna drive me?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“What?” Deran frowns at Adrian. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Remember, you picked me up for our <i>date</i>?” Adrian feels petty enough to emphasize the last word. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran runs a hand through his hair, “I’ve had way too many beers, man. You don’t have to leave, you can stay the night.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian laughs bitterly, “You won’t kiss me, but you want me to stick around so we can fuck? You’re an idiot.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You’re overreacting!” Deran’s back to yelling. “You’ve not complained before when we’ve fucked around, why is this such a big deal?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>It’s not until that moment that Adrian realizes that they’ve never actually kissed before. “Then we were just fucking around, but if we’re gonna date, I wanna kiss my boyfriend.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran stops, then scoffs. “Boyfriend? Come on, I’d never be your boyfriend.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian stops too, staring horrified at the guy he thought actually liked him. His heart clenches and the hurt gets that tiny bit more unbearable. Then in a flurry of motion, he’s tumbling down the stairs and is sailing out the front door, calling out over his shoulder, “Fuck you!”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>If Deran even bothers to respond, it’s cut off when the door slams shut behind Adrian. It’s only the fact that he can see houses all around that keeps him from screaming out in frustration. He jogs down to the street but realizes he has no idea where he should head to find a taxi or a bus. As he hesitates over the best course of action, a car appears on the street and to his surprise and rising horror, the car is heading straight for the driveway he’s standing in.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>The car slows down as it turns into the driveway and Adrian stares in wonder as he spots Professor Graves behind the wheel, the man next to her in the passenger seat looking at Adrian curiously. The car stops and both travelers are out of the car before Adrian knows what’s happening. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Adrian?” Graves asks, “What are you doing here, is something wrong?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Uhm…” Adrian falters, “I was just heading home.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Graves shares a look with her companion, a rather imposing giant of a man.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You know this young fellow?” The man asks. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I do, he’s a student of mine.” Graves responds. “Adrian, meet my husband, Moontide Pearce.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Uh, hey.” Adrian waves awkwardly. He is too tired, drunk and upset for this. He looks back up at Deran’s apartment, where a light has been turned on. He sees the outline of Deran presumably staring down at him. “Shit.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You a friend of Deran’s?” Pearce asks, obviously having noticed Adrian’s reaction. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“<i>No</i>.” Adrian says emphatically. “I mean, I know him. But we’re not friends. We’re nothing.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“No one’s nothing.” Pearce says, all world-weary and wise. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I guess that’s true.” Adrian agrees, needing to get the hell out of here. “Uhm, like I said, I was just heading home, sorry to intrude, I mean, I didn’t even know you lived here, Professor, honestly.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Is something the matter? You look a little unwell.” Graves says, coming closer but before she can reach out, the door to Deran’s apartment slams open. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Adrian, what the fuck! So not cool! Just fucking leave like you said you would!” Deran comes out hollering. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“How am I supposed to leave when you drove me, dumbass?” Adrian yells right back, happy to be angry again, a much easier feeling than the awkwardness with Graves.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Get the fucking bus!”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I don’t know where the fucking stop is!” Adrian squares his chest, ready for Deran to careen into him with the speed he’s coming at him.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Pearce steps in between them before Deran can come close, making Deran pull up short. He glares death at Pearce but the tall man hardly reacts. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Why don’t we all stop yelling, and let’s see if we can’t sort this out.” Pearce says. “Adrian, you need a ride somewhere?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Uh, to campus. If you could just tell me where the nearest bus stop is.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Nonsense.” Graves dismisses the idea quickly. “My husband will be happy to drive you. Deran, why don’t you come inside with me for a moment?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran fumes but says nothing, though it’s clear to everyone from his body language that he opposes the solution completely. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Excellent idea, darling, as always.” Pearce holds out his hands for the car keys, then puts a hand on Adrian’s back to get him moving. “Quicker we leave, quicker we’re all back home where we wanna be.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>**</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian wonders if he’ll ever have an evening quite as surreal as this one again in his life. First, he thought he was on a successful date, then he’d been laughed at for having such delusions and now his professor’s husband is driving him home. However many beers he’s had during the day is not enough to handle this shit. Unfortunately, it feels like his hangover is already here. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Fuck.” Adrian mutters under his breath. It’s the first thing either of them have said since Adrian told Pearce which dorm he lives in. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Believe it or not, you’re not the first person Deran has picked a fight with. I don’t know what the fight was about, but I’m sure he that started it.” Pearce says conversationally.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Yeah.” Adrian huffs, staring out the window.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“He’s a complicated kid.” Pearce continues.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian laughs, “I know that.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Pearce hums before adding, “I’ve found there’s much more to him than he wants people to think.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian sighs, “Yeah, that’s probably right. I’d rather not listen to some sermon ‘bout how great he is. You don’t know what he did. I’m really thankful for the ride but I don’t really wanna talk about it.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Noted.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>The rest of the ride is quiet and Adrian is almost lulled to sleep by the hum of the engine. It’s nearly nighttime when they’re at the dorm but despite his exhaustion he makes sure to thank Pearce profusely for the ride, and to send his apologies and thanks to Graves. Pearce tells him to get some sleep and Adrian takes that advice to heart, stumbling straight into his bed without bothering to take anything other than his shoes off.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>**</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Thankfully, Adrian has a couple of days respite before his next drawing class with Graves. He spends most of the weekend coming up with excuses for not showing up to various study dates and parties. Chad must pick up on something, because he turns up with waffles and a quite sweet promise of being there if Adrian wants to talk. He finally caves and tells Chad he’s been seeing a guy and that it didn’t end well. While Adrian might not be telling the whole truth about Deran, it feels good to get some of his anger out, and for Chad to proclaim Adrian’s unnamed guy a total loser. For an idiot straight guy who’s into ice hockey, Chad’s actually pretty great.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian makes sure to be late for Graves’ class so there’s no chance he’ll be alone with her, and she’s too much of a professional to bring up their last encounter in class. When she passes by his seat, she takes time studying the fortress he’s drawing. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Good for keeping things in.” Graves says, but leaves him alone for the rest of the class. Adrian worries that she’ll make him stay behind and makes sure to have his pencils packed way before class is officially over. She doesn’t call him on it. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian stays away from the art studio for the rest of week. He doesn’t think Deran will show up, but he doesn’t want to run into Graves. He hangs out with Chad and loses hours watching surf videos on YouTube. He doesn’t go to the beach. He won’t let Deran take surfing away from him for long, not when he just started feeling like he’d taken it back from his father, but he’s too tired and emotional right now, plus finals are looming in the distance and Adrian needs to study all that he can. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>He’s kind of taken aback when Graves finally does tell him to stay behind, two weeks later. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Is it about the online quiz? I knew I got too many wrongs.” Adrian mutters, mostly to himself. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“No, well you got a lot wrong, but not enough to make you take it again or change your grade, don’t worry.” Graves smiles fondly at him. “No, I wanted to talk about Deran. I never realized you knew each other.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian does not want to have this conversation, “Yeah, just from around, we surf together sometimes. I wouldn’t say we really know each other.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Graves gives him a calculating look, “I’m not going to do either of you the disservice of involving myself more, but I wondered if you knew how it came to be that he’s living above my garage? Just so that there are no misunderstandings.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I, uh, he mentioned his landlord being like, his foster dad?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Yeah, that’s more or less the gist of it.” Graves nods. “He’s been with us for five years now, even though he doesn’t have to be any more. My husband and him, well, they have a turbulent relationship, but Deran knows we care for him. I think that maybe you do too?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian colors despite him fighting it. “Like I said, I don’t really know him.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“He loves coming here, using the art studio and stealing supplies.” Graves says, sounding almost fond. “This past semester, he’s been doing it a lot more than previously, he’s been showing me his work and being really excited. He even let Moontide keep one for his office. But these past weeks, he hasn’t come with me here once.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian soaks up the tidbits about Deran’s life but tries to look unaffected. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Well, maybe I’ve already said more than I should. It’s just, he’s special to me, you know?” Graves starts gathering her things, attention on her briefcase instead of on Adrian. “I’d hate for him to stop painting.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian sighs loudly, “Yeah, that’d suck. You can tell him I won’t be weird about it, if I see him. He’s really talented, the stuff I’ve seen. Better than my stuff. Don’t tell him that, though.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Graves laughs, “I think at last we understand one another, Frodo Baggins.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian frowns, “Is that those Marvel movies? I hate them, they’re so stupid.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Oh,” Graves’ entire mood changes, her mouth gaping and a hand above her heart, “you wound me!”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>**</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>With two essays to write, three finals and yet another group presentation to make, Adrian doesn’t have much time for drawing, and figures he won’t randomly run into Deran in the art studio since Adrian is never there. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>He still should’ve prepared himself, because three days after his talk with Graves, going on three weeks since he and Deran last saw each other, there’s a knock on the door to his room and he opens it to find Deran looking as hot as ever, his hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Hi.” Deran says, nervously scratching at his neck. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Fuck you.” Adrian says, surprising himself. He hadn’t realized he was still angry. He’d actually thought he was over Deran. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Uhm…” Deran falters for a second before visibly steeling himself. “I’m gay.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>As silence reigns following that statement, Chad wisely gets up from his bed, grabs his laptop and shuffles his way past the two of them, disappearing down the hall. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Anyone else hiding in there?” Deran asks, peering into the room. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian sighs, stepping away and letting Deran inside, “That was Chad, he’s my roomie.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Oh. Uh, does he know about you?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“About me being gay?” Adrian starts picking up random items and tossing them into other corners of the room. “Yeah, he knows.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran takes up position near the door, “Okay, cool.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deciding the room won’t get much tidier by moving shit around, Adrian sits down on his bed and heaves a great sigh, “What do you want, Deran?” </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran fidgets, shifting from foot to foot, “Uh… Just that… I’m gay now. I mean, I always have been, but…”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“That’s good, dude.” Adrian offers, because it really is good when people stop lying to themselves, whatever the lie may be. “Doesn’t explain why you’re here.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Standing up straight, Deran starts playing with the zipper on his hoodie instead. “I guess I wanted to see if you wanted to surf with me again. No one else can keep up.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian sighs, scratching at his hair, “I don’t know, man. Surfing’s something I do for fun these days, I’m not sure I’d have that much fun with you to be honest.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran sits down at the edge of Chad’s desk. He’s quiet for a moment, then he clears his throat, “Because of what I said? About, uhm, the kissing?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“And how you’d never be my boyfriend. That was kinda harsh.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Yeah.” Deran agrees tiredly, “That was a shitty thing to say, sorry, man.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Adrian doesn’t know whether to end the conversation right there or press for more, but he’s surprised when Deran’s the one to make a move, pushing off the desk and coming closer. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I only said that because… Well, I thought I had to. Fuck, okay, I’m not ready to be out to every damn person I ever meet but, I wanna try with…” Deran waves between them. “Maybe.” </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>The smile breaks out over Adrian’s face before he’s ready for it, and his heart starts thumping happily, “Maybe?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran’s got a hesitant smile on face, “If you’re into it.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>The room is not big at all, so Adrian doesn’t have to get up from his bed to tug on Deran’s wrist, “No, definitely, I’m into it. Trying, I mean. I’ve never actually had a boyfriend, so.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran cringes, “Can we just call it dating for now? I don’t wanna…”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Baby steps, okay, yeah.” Adrian agrees, pulling a little harder to make Deran sit down next to him. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“I think we can skip some steps, I’m just not…” Deran trails off, but he looks a lot more confident than when he first showed up.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Not ready for the B-word yet?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Dude, we’ve not even been on a real date, okay, it’s not time to change your relationship status yet.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“True enough.” Adrian concedes, because there’s a difference between hooking up and actually talking and touching without sex. Though he hopes sex will be part of it, since that’s been working pretty well for them. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran looks over at Chad’s bed. “Your roommate thinks we’re fucking right now, doesn’t he?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Probably. So the secret’s already out with him.”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>Deran purses his mouth, “Well, if he already thinks I’m gay, and I’m gaying it up with my gay boyfriend…”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You wanna blow me?” Adrian smirks.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“You fucking know I do.” Deran grins, pushing Adrian down on the mattress as both of them laugh with excitement and nerves. Deran pauses for a moment, just looking at Adrian.</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“What?”</span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      <span>“Nothing.” Deran says before kissing him. </span>
    </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">
      
    </p>
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